According to the Office for National Statistics, an estimated 2.3 million people in private households in the UK (3.5% of the population) were experiencing self-reported long COVID as of 3rd September 2022. Of those, almost half (46%) reported experiencing long COVID symptoms at least one year after first having (suspected) COVID-19. Self-reported long COVID was more common in:
- Those aged 35 to 69 years
- Females
- People living in more deprived areas
- Those working in social care
- Those aged 16 years and over who were not working and not looking for work
- Those with another activity-limiting health condition or disability
The most common long COVID symptoms continued to be fatigue (69% of those with self-reported long COVID), followed by difficulty concentrating (45%), shortness of breath (42%) and muscle ache (40%). Symptoms adversely affected the day-to-day activities of 1.6 million people, or 72% of those with self-reported long COVID.
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In the UK, the proportion of adults with antibodies at or above the 179 nanograms per millilitre (ng/ml) level (implying that they have either had COVID or have been vaccinated against it) remains high. An estimated 96.9% of adults in England, 97.0% in Wales, 96.4% in Northern Ireland and 96.2% in Scotland had antibodies against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) at or above the 179 ng/ml level in the most recent week (beginning 22 August 2022).
At or above the higher level of 800 ng/ml, an estimated 75.0% of adults in England, 75.2% in Wales, 78.9% in Northern Ireland and 74.6% in Scotland had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Among the oldest age groups, the percentage estimated to have antibodies at or above the 800 ng/ml level has generally increased since April 2022, likely as a result of fourth vaccinations given to people of those ages, although there are early signs that levels are beginning to decrease.
In the most recent week (beginning 22 August 2022) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 at or above 179 ng/ml level remained high for those aged 12 to 15 years (93.0%) and has increased for those aged 8 to 11 years (68.4%) in Great Britain.
At or above the higher level of 800 ng/ml, an estimated 77.5% of children aged 12 to 15 years and 50.9% of children aged 8 to 11 years had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
These statistics refer to antibody tests for people living in private households. ONS checks people’s blood samples for levels of antibody concentration, measured in ng/ml.
Deaths decrease
But deaths involving COVID-19 decreased in the UK, with 274 deaths involving COVID-19 registered in the UK in the week ending 23 September 2022, down from 348 in the previous week. However, the number of death registrations in the latest week was affected by the Bank Holiday on 19th September 2022. Caution is needed when comparing across weeks and with the five-year average.
The total number of deaths registered in the UK was 10,015, which was 8.4% below the five-year average (919 fewer excess deaths). Deaths involving COVID-19 accounted for 2.7% of all deaths in the UK in the latest week; a decrease from 2.9% in the previous week.
In England, the number of deaths involving COVID-19 decreased from 280 to 217 in the latest week (ending 23rd September 2022). Deaths involving COVID-19 remained low or at zero for those aged under 55 years and decreased in all other age groups. Deaths involving COVID-19 increased in the West Midlands and the South West, and decreased in all other regions.
ONS data is based on deaths registered in the UK and includes all deaths where “novel coronavirus (COVID-19)” was mentioned on the death certificate.
Social Distancing
Around one in four (25%) adults said they always or often maintained social distancing between 14th and 25th September 2022, a decrease from around 4 in 10 (38%) in the spring period (13th to 24th April 2022).
There was also a drop in the proportion of people who had used a face covering when outside their home, from 65% in the spring period to 25% in the latest period. Of those who used a face covering in the latest period, just over half (52%) used it always or often, with just under half (47%) using it only sometimes or not very often.
Over 4 in 10 (43%) adults reported feeling very or somewhat worried about new variants of COVID-19. The majority of adults (84%) reported thinking that the booster vaccine is very important or important in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Among those who met up with someone outside their household, around 4 in 10 (40%) of those aged 70 years and over said they maintained social distancing, compared with just under 1 in 10 (8%) adults aged 16 to 29 years. Over half (52%) of adults aged 70 years and over were very or somewhat worried about new COVID-19 variants, compared with around 3 in 10 (29%) adults aged 16 to 29 years.
Most secondary school pupils had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of July 2022. Around two-thirds (62.4%) of those aged 12 to 15 years had received at least one dose and 45.3% had received at least two doses.
Among those aged 16 to 17 years, 80.5% had received at least one dose, 69.8% had received at least two doses and 29.5% had received at least three doses.
Coronavirus mortality
There was little change in the mortality rate for deaths due to coronavirus (COVID-19) in England or Wales between July and August 2022.
In August, the age-standardised mortality rate for deaths due to COVID-19 was 30.5 deaths per 100,000 people in England and 29.6 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales.
These are similar to the rates reported in July and May. Mortality rates from COVID-19 fell significantly in June to 14.0 deaths per 100,000 people in England and to 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales.
In England in August, COVID-19 remained the sixth leading cause of death for the second month in a row. In Wales, meanwhile, the virus was the joint seventh leading cause of death alongside influenza and pneumonia. In July, COVID-19 was Wales’ sixth leading cause of death.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was the leading cause of death in August in both England and Wales, accounting for 103.2 and 113.9 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively. This was the 14th consecutive month dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was the leading cause of death in England. August marked the first time in eight months that heart disease was not the leading cause of death in Wales.
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